Heart
by aliceistiny
Summary: A UlquiHime fanfic. Suggest to listen to "Lullaby" by the Spill Canvas first. Very short. Review. ENJOI.


**One-shot! ULQUI/HIME. No real summary because I suck at them. Basically just Ulquiorra's musings on life after the Espada. HE DIDN'T DIE.**

****** I SERIOUSLY SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO "LULLABY" BY THE SPILL CANVAS BEFORE/WHILE YOU'RE READING THIS. IT WOULD GO REALLY NICELY IF YOU DID AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE I GOT MY INSPIRATION FROM.**

*******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH, THAT'S ALL TITE KUBO.**

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The ex-Espada stared down at the human girl sleeping next to him, wondering how she could sleep so easily when he remained wide awake, night after night. He envied her ability to sleep peacefully…to dream. Ulquiorra gently stroked her cheek, his index finger lightly grazing her soft skin. His pale skin stood out against her tan shade and he envied that too.

He envied_ her_. He envied her easy going nature. He envied the warmth in her body. He envied her emotions, so carefree and happy. He envied her joy. Her emotions.

The hollow-with-a-Zanpakutou wondered how he even ended up here, in bed, with her. Orihime, or "Woman" as he tended to call her. He didn't understand it. He didn't understand how he had these feelings for her when his hollow hole was right where his heart is supposed to be. He didn't have a heart so how did it come to be that he had feelings? For her? He just didn't understand.

She tried to explain to him once before that a true heart isn't simply an organ. It's what inspires one to do what one loves. It's what gives one hope in one's darkest hour that everything will be okay. "Heart" isn't something you can see or touch. It's inside of you. It's YOU.

He's asked her countless times why she "loves" him and it's the same old reply. "Because my heart tells me to," and that confused him to no end. Hearts don't speak. They don't have lips or vocals. She had said so herself that you feel with your heart so what is this nonsense of her heart speaking to her?

In his opinion, hearts were fickle little things that could either break you or control you and Ulquiorra was done with being controlled. Yet, why was he so compelled to give this woman next to him the world? He was emotionless and cold but why was this human girl able to make his cheeks flush with warmth by simply smiling at him? What kind of sorcery was this?

"Mmm," sounded from the redhead as her eyes fluttered open and she caught him staring at her. "Ulqui? What's wrong? Why are you awake?"

That was another thing he allowed only her to do: nickname him. Ulqui. He never had a nickname with the Espada so why was it comforting to hear that silly title coming from her lips? Why was he so weak-willed around her? Why did she make every wall he had ever put up, crumble to his feet with just a look or with that name?

Why did he love her so?

"It's nothing, woman. Go, sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

She snuggled closer to him and rested her palm on his chest, over his heart or where it would be if he had one. She pressed her nose into his neck and inhaled his scent, another thing she did that he didn't understand but let her do nonetheless. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, hugging her body to his gigai. He could feel her heart beating against his side and relished in the rhythmic pulse, imagining that he had a beating heart as well. It almost felt real

"I can hear it, Ulqui."

"And what is it that you hear, woman?"

"I hear your heart."

He tensed then relaxed once more and he pressed his lips against her head, an uncommon and rare gesture from the male. He closed his eyes in content, praying to whatever god out there to never take this moment away from him.

"That is your heart, Onna. I have no heart."

A quiet snore echoed from her lips and he recalled saying this to her before. Again, she replied the same as she always did. Even in the silence, he could hear her voicing it to him now. It's as if she was still awake and talking to him rather than sleeping peacefully while he stayed awake. He understood now…what a heart was but it didn't change the fact that he didn't have one.

"_It's okay, Ulqui. We can share mine."_

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**And there you have it, folks. My first piece of writing in months. I know that it's short but I hope you all enjoyed it and it's better than nothing. I hope you guys aren't too upset with me either for disappearing. My first UlquiHime fanfic. Comment and Review!**

**-alice**


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